Intake fuel system for internal-combustion engines



July 1s, l1944. Q. F'. HABE 2,353,665

INTAKE FUEL SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March l2, 1943 mf f- Patented July 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE INTAKE:

FUEL SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL- ooMUsTIoN ENGINES This invention relates to improvements in the intake fuel system of internal combustion engines and is more snecically directed to improvements upon the structure illustrated, `described and claimed in the prior Patent No. 2,292,071, dated August 4, 1942.

Under present national speed regulations andn tire conservation efforts (enforced through gasoline rationing) it is not as critical to develop maximum power at the top speed of which the vehicle is capable and for which the intake system has been initially designed.

For a complete understanding of the present invention, reference is particularly had to thel.I aforesaid patent, which disclosure is specically* made a part hereof. Also as described and claimed therein., the invention herein is not of necessity restricted to the so-'called adapter or insert form, but may be built into the carbuf retor downstream of the throttle valve thereof,

or in the intake manifold upstream of the distributing portion of the latter.

The chief object of the present invention is to obtain more miles per gallon of gasoline or liquid fuel of vaporizable type and also to im-f prove both performance and particularly economy when accelerating.

The chief feature of the present invention is the inclusion of an imperforate web-like arrangement between the rib grooves of the patented structure, which web-like arrangement is local-l ized at two opposite sides of the intake passagey and is of substantially greatest radial width substantially transverse to the axis of the carburotor throttle valve shaft, the webbing in the preferred form being discontinuous or of zero radial width in alignment with the axis of the carbu retor throttle valve and immediately adjacent such aforementioned locations which are on opposite sides of the intake passage and midway between the maximum radial width portions of the webbing.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

- The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

In the drawing A Fig. l is a vertical central sectional View of a down-draft intake system of an internal combin nation at the carburetor-manifold connection and with the invention interposed therebetween as an adapter insert, the pertinent portions of the carburetor (except the fuel pump operable upon acceleration) and the manifold only being illustrated, and a portion of the latter is shown in elevation. n

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of an adapter or insert plate form of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View thereof taken en line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the down-draft intake system and is taken immediately above or upstream of the carburetor throttle valve therein, the latter being shown about three-Quarters closed or one-fourth open.

5 is a vertical sectional view through an intake mounted cup form of adapter embodying the invention.

ln view of the complete illustration and description set forth in the aforementioned patent, only the salient features of the present invention will be set forth and for convenience numerals similar to those utilized in said patent are employed herein to designate similar or like parts.

In the drawing IE! indicatesa portion of a conventional down-draft carburetor wherein the intake passage widens out as at I3 from a Venturi formation not shown. Therebeneath and in said passage 2l is the balanced buttery type throttle valve lll carried by shaft Illa operable by the usual manually operable means. The outlet of the carburetor intake passage matches with the' intake end of the intake passage I 'I of the intake manifold I8. The carburetor out let end is provided with flange I5 for connection as by members I 6 for connection to said manin fold.

As indicated at Z9 the fuel mixture leaves the Venturi portion in a full cone-like formation. Included in this mixture is the combustible vapor and unvaporized fuel droplets 3E.

The action of the throttle butterfly valve is illustrated clearly in Fig. l showing the deecting characteristics of this valve and whereby only a minor portion of the vapor, when the valve is not fully opened, passes between the upper end of the valve and the intake passage, as indicated generally at A. The larger portion of the fuel mixture is deiieoted and concentrated and passes beyond that valve as indicated at B. Such liquid fuel as is intercepted by this valve is deflected tou-'ard the lower end of the Valve and toward the carburetor intake wall immediately contiguous thereto. vThe completely Vaporized fue] is thereupon uniformly distributed in the intake Il by means of the invention now to be described more specifically, reference being had to Figs. 2 and 3.

The body portion 40 is provided with a cen,

The

exterior diameter of the groove is approximately'.

tral opening 43 defined by a groove 44.

that of the intake passageway. The hole 43, therefore, is slightly smaller. Extending medianly in the present form of the inventionand across the opening 43 is a grooved rib arrangement, the same being longitudinally aligned with l the centers of the opening 42. This groove arrangement 45 communicates at opposite ends with the groove 44.

At each side of the central groove rib 45 is a second rib 46 and as shown clearly in the several figures, these ribs are preferably non-parallel to each other and non-parallel to the central rib 45. They are directed toward each other and the angle of inclination is approximately 8. The limits of inclination are obtained between and 10, the 8 inclination being preferred in most instances since it insures the best performance.

It will be noted as a result of this inclination that a considerable amount of rib obstruction is positioned in alignment with the downstream side of the deflecting valverarrangement, so that maximum trapping of liquid fuel there will be effected. Each of the ribs, as previously stated, communicates at opposite ends with the opening defining wall groove 44. These ribs are of greater depth insofar as their grooves are concerned,l

than the wall defining groove and rib 45 has the deepest groove as shown in Fig. 3.

In longitudinal section, these ribs preferably are bowed so that the deepest portion vis approximately at the central portion of the rib. Between the junction of the rib with the opening defining groove, each grooved rib is pierced with a minute or capillary type hole which preferably is left with a ragged -or raw edge and this is on the downstream side or convex side of the grooved rib. The air or fuel mixture passing through the opening 43 creates on the underface of these grooved ribs a high vacuum or pressure depression which draws the collected liquid fuel `on these ribs at this lower portion outwardly through the minute holes.

The ragged or raw edge defining said holes in addition to this vaporization incident to this vacuum action, seems to have the effect of tearing the liquid gasoline into still further minute portions so that what liquid is discharged from these grooves through these holes indicated by the numeral 5|! is fully vaporized, and these holes con stitute one source of relief or discharge for such liquid which is trapped by any or all of the groove arrangements. Herein three of these holes are shown in each rib, although a greater or lesser number may be provided and longer ribs may have more holes than shorter ribs.

It is to be noted also thatl the several rib arrangements constitute means for creating turbulence and, of course, with a minimum amount of interference to fuel mixture flow, and this high turbulence provides better distribution of the fuel and air and serves to insure uniform distribution in the manifold.

For the purposes initially set forth herein there is included at each end of the ribs a lunar segment-like web arrangement having end portions 60 and rib intermediate portions 6|. The extent of each segment is about 160 and when the throttle valve is about one-quarter open the pro- Yjected area of the balanced elliptical valve is approximately coincident with the inner edges of the webbing, see Fig. 4.

l The webbing may be slightly dished or inclined so that it may feed trapped fuel into the several adjacent grooves. High velocity mixture through the intake, that is high vacuum therein, results in part of this web trapped fuel being drawn over the segment edge and vaporized so it is included in the fuel mixture. This is in addition to the vaporization from apertures 50. This edge is indicated by the subscript a. The inner edges of each lunar segment is scallop-like and the seement adjacent the constructed ends of the ribs preferably is of greater radial width.

Accordingly at part throttle, below half throttle, the turbulence creating effect of said webbing and the globule trapping effect thereof is, upon acceleration, of proportionally greater effect, for it is at this time that the system is oversupplied with liquid fuel relative to the engine requirements and vaporization by the carburetor is the poorest.

At wide open throttle positions the aforesaid effects of the webbing, while still inherently always present and effecting economy and desired engine performance, are proportionately less relative to total effect, etc.

For proof of the aforesaid it is stated that intakes equipped with the patented insert showed clean and bright below the valve shaft and progressively cloudy at wall portions proportionate ly removed therefrom until at or midway therebetween a decided smudge on the Wall was observed.

The present invention when substituted for the patented invention showed a wall clean and bright entirely around same, which visually substantiated the performance assertions made hereinbefore. Actual better engine performance, efciency and economy, recited also, were factually demonstrable. Repeated tests in vehicles equipped tests in vehicles equipped previously with the patented invention and then with this invention resulted in a general economy of an additional one and one-half miles per gallon of fuel over the fuel saving of the patented invention.

In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a second adapter form of the invention. It is of cup type. Numerals of the one hundred series similar to the primary series indicated in Fig. 5 parts identical or functionally similar to the parts designated by the primary series.

In this form the body portion of the adapter has a peripheral flange |40 projecting outwardly (upwardly and upstream) from the outer edge of groove |44. It may be notched as at i4? to form tongues |4| that frictionally engage the inside wall surface of the intake passage.

v This adapter can be pushed upwardly into the outlet end of the down-draft carburetor or downwardly into the intake end of the adjacent intake manifold as desired. It is friction held. The former mounting is preferred because the intake passage junction is then below (downstream of) the insert and vibration if ever effective (as in a non-notched wall |40) will only cause insert dropping to that junction.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawing and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein, as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to rbe within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination with the valve controlled intake passage of an internal combustion engine, a groove member projecting into said passage from the wall thereof and extending but a slight distance therefrom, the said groove member being downstream of the passage valve and directed upstream for trapping fuel wall condensate, a plurality of ribs projecting into said passage from said groove member, said ribs having upstream directed grooves therein each in communication with the channel of the groove member, and webbing means extending inwardly into the intake from the groove member at the inside edge of said member and at the opposite sides of the intake at right angles to the valve axis and substantially lunar segment-like character and bridging the -gaps *between certain of the rib members at the ends thereof.

2. A combination as defined by claim 1 wherein the ribs extend across the passage in a general direction transverse to the valve axis and inclined towards each, the closer ends of the ribs being positioned closest to the downstream end of the valve when `part open.

3. A combination as dened by claim 1 characterized by the valve being of balanced elliptical type and when approximately quarter open the projected outline thereof being substantially coincident with the inner edges of said webbing means.

4. An insert for inclusion between an engine manifold and a carburetor having substantially aligned matching intake passages and connecting portions, said insert having a passage matching opening therethrough, groove forming means peripherally defining the opening, the groove thereof being directed upstream, the opening defined by said means being but slightly less than that of the matching passages, a plurality of similarly directed rib means extending into the opening from the groove forming means, each rib means being of groove character and directed upstream and communicating at the groove forming means connected end. with the peripheral groove, and webbing means extending inwardly from the inner edge of the groove forming means and connected to the adjacent portions of the grooved rib means at the upper edge thereof, the webbing means being vof peripheral discontinuous character and of progressively decreasing width from a central longitudinal plane having the same general direction as the rib means and midway between the relatively rnost remote rib means.

5. An insert as deiined by claim 4 wherein the several openings are circular and all coaxial, and the webbing means is of substantially lunar segment type in outline with an escalloped-like inner edge.

6. An insert as defined by claim 4 wherein the several openings are circular and all coaxial, and the webbing means is of substantially lunar segment type in outline, and the several rib means having inclined direction relative to each other, and toward one portion of the groove forming means, the webbing means being an inward extension of said portion and extending laterally thereof beyond the same, such laterally extending portions being of progressively decreasing radial width.

7. A cup type insert for inclusion in the intake system having a connected manifold and carburetor with matching passages, said insert having a passage matching opening therethrough, groove forming means peripherally defining the opening, the groove thereof being directed upstream, the opening defined by said means being but slightly less than that of the matching passage, a plurality of similarly directed rib means extending into the opening from the groove forming means, each rib means being of groove character and directed upstream and communicating at the groove forming means connected end with the peripheral groove, and webbing means extending inwardly from the inner edge of the groove forming means and connected to the adjacent portions of the grooved rib means at the upper edge thereof, ths webbing means being of peripheral discontinuous character and of progressively decreasing width from a central longitudinal plane having the same general direction as the rib means and midway between the relatively most remote rib means, and passage wall friction held upstream directed flange means on the outer edge of the groove forming means.

ORA F. HAIBE. 

